House floor remarks by Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) introducing an amendment to eliminate taxpayer-subsidized health care for lawmakers who vote for repealing the Affordable Care Act on July 11, 2012:

“First of all, I would say to the gentleman, my friend, from New Jersey [Rep. Rob Andrews (D-N.J.)] – you know, we on this side of the aisle care about the health care of the American people. That’s why we’re here. That’s why I brought this bill forward along with and on behalf of my colleagues.

“It is not about members of Congress. It is not about trying to say that you get health care, we don’t get health care.

“This is a dire situation for a lot and millions of Americans. There are so many things going on right now – critical, critical needs out there across this country, where people are out of work, people don’t have health care. People are hurting.

“And for us to sit here and discuss a motion to recommit like this, I just don’t think, Madam Speaker, it is what the American people would like us to be doing.

“It is about the Americans’ health care. Most Americans do have health care. Most Americans like the health care that they have – it’s just too expensive. And more and more Americans are going to go without health care because of this law.

“And as the President said when he first started this discussion in 2009, Americans that have health care and like it should be able to keep it. Well, that is clearly a promise that’s been broken, and we are trying to end the era of broken promises. We are trying to end the era of Washington-controlled health care.

“We believe, as do most of the American people, that it’s patient-centered care is our goal. That’s where we need to start. We start along the path towards that goal by repealing Obamacare.

“Obamacare has added costs upon costs. And in fact, the average American in term of the premiums that they pay – the average family has already paid a premium increase of approximately $1,200 since the passage of Obamacare.

“And in fact, the CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that insurance premiums for individuals buying private health coverage on their own will increase by $2,100 in 2016 compared to what the premium would have been if the law had not passed.

“This is why when study after study is showing that people are not able to keep the health care they like, it’s because of the costs. People are unable to afford it; the employers are unable to afford it.

“We are after patient-centered care. We are after affordable care. And we are trying to improve and enlarge the access to care.

“Obamacare fails on all those fronts.

“So, Madam Speaker, it is not a game to be played that is evident in this motion to recommit. It is about the American people and their healthcare. And with that, Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote against the motion to recommit and urge them to vote instead to vote for the passage of repeal of Obamacare.”